1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains generally to the art of deck construction for residential and commercial buildings and more specifically to a securement system for a deck constructed from plastic lumber.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional decks around homes, pools, docks and the like are often constructed from pressure-treated wooden decking on top of a treated lumber frame, made of joists, the joists being attached to posts set three to four feet into the ground into a concrete base. The entire structure is used to maintain the structural integrity. The joists hold the decking and the decking keeps the joists from warping.
Constructing a deck from wooden material has some disadvantages. The wood needs to be repeatedly and systematically treated or painted to protect it from the elements. Also, regular maintenance such as stripping and refinishing must be performed in order to keep up the appearance of the deck. Unfortunately, the wood material may still warp, crack, splinter or rot.
Plastic as a building material, and specifically a building material for decks, has the advantages of being able to be colored with coloring agents, being able to be extruded to various configurations, being recyclable, being environmentally friendly, being able to be constructed of recycled materials, not splintering, rotting, or cracking as well as others.
However, plastic has the significant disadvantage of dimensional instability due to daily temperature changes. Previous to the herein disclosed invention, due to temperature variations in the ambient air, decking made of plastic would expand along its extruded length as it warmed and contract as it cooled. The dimensional variation was too great for a deck to be constructed of plastic wood.
Efforts by others to address the challenges raised by using plastic as a building material include U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,058 to Lowery which discloses a fence made of plastic components. The fence can be constructed of plastic fence boards which have holes formed in one side for receiving pegs. Some of the holes are vertical slots to allow the fence boards to be placed at various heights to accommodate uneven terrain. Lowery does not address in any way the problems raised by the thermal dimensional instability of plastic.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,084 to Goose discloses a construction system which uses extruded sections, one of which has a channel formed therein. However, Goose appears to be directed to constructions systems for interior office spaces utilizing aluminum connecting components.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,422 to Fleischmann discloses an arrangement for supporting railing which includes a T-shaped groove.
However, none of the known prior art discloses a solution to the problem of the thermal dimensional instability of plastic.
The present invention contemplates a new deck construction and securement system which is simple in design, effective in use, and overcomes the foregoing difficulties and others while providing better and more advantageous results.